Air conditioning guard

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a cage created to protect outdoor items, e.g., appliances. The cage has panels that are assembled, and two of the panels are secured to a supporting surface. Upwardly extending pins exist inside of each lateral edge of two opposed panels. Two other side panels are installable by sliding them onto the pins. A back panel includes a hinged top that flips over to complete the cage. The top is also able to be locked to the tops of the panels.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/673,321 filed on May 18, 2018, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The disclosed embodiments related generally to the field of securing devices against theft. More specifically, the disclosed system relates to securing outdoor equipment from being removed from an installed position.

2. Related Art

It is desirable to guard against the theft of outdoor personal property. It is known to protect outdoor appliances, including air conditioner compressor units, from theft using chains and locks. Further, it is known to weld together cages for installation around the unit for the purpose of preventing removal of the unit from an installed location.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is a system for guarding an outdoor item against theft. The system, in embodiments, includes a front panel; first and second side panels; a rear panel; a lockable top cover hingedly attached at the top of the rear panel; the side panels each having lateral edges configured to be connected onto lateral edges of the front and rear panels; the top panel, when rotated to rest on top of the front, side, and rear panels completing an enclosing cage; and a fastening arrangement enabling securement of the front and rear panels onto a supporting surface below the cage, thus securing all of the front, rear, and side panels against removal. In embodiments, the lateral edges of the front and rear panels include upwardly extending pins configured to receive corresponding receiving collars formed on the lateral edges of each of the side panels. The pins can extend upward from blocks, the blocks being mounted inside angled upright members at the lateral edges of each of the front and rear panels. In embodiments the clearance between the pins and the inside surfaces of the angled upright members is substantially the same as a thickness of at least a portion of each collar so that there is a snug fit.

The top cover can be made to be lockable to the top of the front panel thus containing the side panels against removal without first unlocking the top cover. In embodiments: (i) the top cover has outer edges defined by a horizontally outwardly extending abutment portion and a downwardly extending lip; (ii) the lip is received inside, and the abutment surface rests atop each of the front, side, and rear panels; and (iii) the top cover is made lockable onto the top cover by aligning an outside hole made through the downwardly extending lip, and aligned with an inside hole made the top of the front panel.

In embodiments a tab extends out and over the outside hole for the purpose of preventing cutting of a lock.

In embodiments the front and rear panels are configured for fastening to the supporting surface. Also, the side panels, after installation, can be lifted up and removed when the top cover is opened while the front and rear panels remain fastened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the cage before assembly;

FIG. 2 shows the cage after assembly with the lid open;

FIG. 3 shows the cage after full assembly after installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 Shows exploded view of the cage prior to assembly. The assembly includes a back panel with a hinged top, a front panel, and two identically configured side panels. Because each component is substantially sized (in terms of length and width) like the others, the panels can be laid over one another and easily boxed, shipped, and marketed. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the cage 100 includes a front 102, back 104, and sides 106 and 108 are shown in an exploded view, and each includes an access barring cross-member arrangement 109. The top 110 is secured to the top 132 of the back panel 104 using hinges 112, and like the panels, includes a cross-member arrangement 111.

Each of side panels 106 and 108 has four truncated square tubing portions 114 which form internal receiving channels. These receiving channels—defined by the internals of the square tube portions 114—are used to receive each of a reciprocating group of upwardly-extending pins 116 from below. The pins 116 are each secured by welding into supporting square tube blocks 118 which are nested into the insides of opposing angle iron vertical members 120. The total of eight male pins 116 existing of the front and back of the will be used to allow for assembly. During assembly, the male pins 116 are received from below into each female square-tube member on each of the side panels to secure the cage in place.

At the bottom of the legs of the front and back panels, footers 122 are provided. The footers 122 exist at the base of each of the vertical angle-iron members 120 as shown. These footers have holes 124 bored through them in them which receive fasteners (not shown) that will be secured into anchors formed into the concrete or whatever surface the cage is being mounted on top of. E.g., normally air-conditioning units are installed atop concrete pads or other supporting arrangements where fasteners can be received.

As can be seen from the figures, all front 102, back 104, and sides 106 and 108 are approximately equally sized in terms of length and width, and this makes them easily packaged unlike the prior art devices. Thus, the panels are able to be boxed, shipped and marketed.

In order to assemble and install the system 100, the top panel 110 is initially folded backward over the back of the back panel 104 (see FIG. 1, the top 110 is dropped from the position shown to rest against the back of the back panel 104). This enables the back panel 104 to be propped up. Since the lid and back panel are already hinged together before assembly, the aggregation of the two comprises the heaviest component having been removed from the box. Thus, it being propped up as shown enables the user to easily begin assembling the other panels.

Next, the receiving members 114 on one of the side panels (e.g., panel 106) are matched up with and secured onto the male pins 116 on the inside of the back panel. The clearance existing between each pin 116 and the insides of the vertical angle iron members 120 are such that when they accept from above the square tube receptacles 114, a tight secure fit is formed. Thus, the clearance between the pins and the thickness of the square tubes are substantially equal to accomplish this. Thus, the side panel 106 is locked onto back panel 104, and the two can be stood up.

Next, the forwardmost upwardly-extending pins 116 on front panel 102 are brought up through the square-tube receiving collars 114 at the front of panel 106 (using substantially the same process).

Now, with the back 104, side 106, and front 102 panels standing up, the user is able to slide the outer square-tube receiving collars 114 on both vertical supports 121 on final side panel 108 over the remaining upwardly-extending pins 116 on the left-hand sides of each of the front panel 102 and the back panel 104.

FIG. 2 shows that after the panels 102, 104, 106, and 108 are assembled by bringing the receiving members 114 over the upwardly-extending pin members116, that all four top corners of the cage (see FIG. 2) will be substantially flush, so that the cage is formed into a substantially rectangular shape (alternatively cubical, or any other similar geometric shape).

FIG. 3 shows that the lid 110 is rotated back over to rest on top of the final side panel being locked in to complete the substantially rectangular cage.

In embodiments, each of the lid portions 126 are comprised of angle iron cut and welded such that they define a downwardly-extending lip portions 128 and an abutment surface 130. The lip portions 126 will be vertical once the lid it closed, and the abutment surfaces will engage the top edges 132 of each of the panels 102, 104, 106, and 108. In embodiments, each of the top edges are formed using angle-iron shaped members such that when the lid angle iron members 128 are closed down onto them, there is a nesting arrangement. The cage lid can be rotated down to be secured inside the inner edges of at the top opening defined by the panels. When the lid is flipped down (moving from the position in FIG. 2 to the one shown in FIG. 3) the lips 126 are sized such that in inner portion of each angle iron is received down into the top opening of the cage, it will fit inside the square opening defined by the tops 132 of each of the panels, and the abutment surfaces 130 will rest on top of each panel top 132. And again, the angle iron tops of the panels 132 are nested outside the outwardly oriented angle iron portions 128 of the lid.

Once assembled as shown in FIG. 3, the front panel and lid can be locked together to secure the cage against removal and prevent disassembly. To accomplish this, a hole 134 is drilled through the downwardly-extending portion of angle iron member 126 on the lid 110, and caused to match up with corresponding hole 136 formed through the vertical portion of angle iron at the top 132 of the front panel.

A vertical outwardly extending V-shaped tab 138 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) is an inwardly extending portion of angle iron that is welded in place such that it forms a roof over the two holes 134 and 136 are drilled in positions such that they line up when the angle iron members 128 on the lid 110 are nested in the angle iron top edges 132 of the panels. The two holes are able to receive a lock (not shown), and the tab/roof 138 above the holes (and now lock) prevents removal of the lock with, e.g., bolt cutters.

When the cage 100 is assembled as shown in FIG. 3, it can be placed over an air conditioning unit. Alternatively, the cage is able to be assembled around the air conditioning unit depending on the user's preference. Regardless, fasteners can be screwed into the holes 124 in the footers 122 to complete the securement.

It should be noted that for routine maintenance, oftentimes the user may need to remove the lock and rotate open the lid 110. But it should also be noted that by reversing the assembly process, e.g., by removing lock, lifting up the lid, and sliding one (or both) of the side panels up, it is possible to remove either side member to give access for the purpose of gaining access to further clean, service, or replace the air conditioning unit. And this full side access given with panels 106 and 108 removed can be done without removing the fasteners. Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all operations listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described. 

1. A system for guarding an outdoor item against theft, the system comprising: a front panel; first and second side panels; a rear panel; a lockable top cover hingedly attached at the top of the rear panel; the side panels each having lateral edges configured to be connected onto lateral edges of the front and rear panels; the top panel, when rotated to rest on top of the front, side, and rear panels completing an enclosing cage; and a fastening arrangement enabling securement of the front and rear panels onto a supporting surface below the cage, thus securing all of the front, rear, and side panels against removal.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the lateral edges of the front and rear panels include upwardly extending pins configured to receive corresponding receiving collars formed on the lateral edges of each of the side panels.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the pins extend upward from blocks, the blocks being mounted inside angled upright members at the lateral edges of each of the front and rear panels.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein a clearance between the pins and the inside surfaces of the angled upright members is substantially the same as a thickness of at least a portion of each collar.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the top cover is made to be lockable to the top of the front panel thus containing the side panels against removal without first unlocking the top cover.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein: (i) the top cover has outer edges defined by a horizontally outwardly extending abutment portion and a downwardly extending lip; (ii) the lip is received inside, and the abutment surface rests atop each of the front, side, and rear panels; and (iii) the top cover is made lockable onto the top cover by aligning an outside hole made through the downwardly extending lip, and aligned with an inside hole made the top of the front panel.
 7. The system of claim 6 comprising a tab extending out and over the outside hole for the purpose of preventing cutting of a lock.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein only the front and rear panels are configured for fastening to the supporting surface.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the side panels, after installation, are configured to be lifted up and removed when the top cover is opened while the front and rear panels remain fastened.
 10. A cage for the protection of outdoor appliances, the cage comprising: first and second end panels opposing one another and configured for securement to a supporting surface; upwardly extending pins on the inside of each lateral edge of the first and second panels; first and second side panels having forward and rearward edges adapted to be lowered onto and slid downward on the pins to be secured thereto; a top being securable onto the tops of the first and second end panels and the first and second side panels to complete the cage; at least one of the first and second side panels being removable upon the top being removed for maintenance. 